Say awe. The total Solar Eclipse bringing americans together. A rare event turning day into night. Look at this whoa this morning, the most spectacular views and how we celebrated. Three, two, one. Oh, my gosh as we break down this joyful onceinageneration moment. Weighing in. Donald trump under fire from the left and the right after his new statement on a defining issue of the 2024 race. The battle over abortion rights. At the end of the day, this is all about the will of the people. Sentencing day. The parents of a Michigan School shooter set to learn their fate today after unprecedented convictions for their involvement in their sons deadly rampage. Were there live. Storm alert. Tens of millions across the south at risk of Severe Weather. Al has got your full forecast. Those stories, plus in trouble. The serious charges facing country star Morgan Wallen after police say he hurled a chair off a rooftop at a bar in nashville. How police say it could impact his wildly popular tour. And twice as nice. It is a uconn core nation. The huskies make history. Connecticut dominates purdue to win backtoback National Titles. The first repeat champions in nearly two decades. The head coach of the huskies joining us to celebrate, today, tuesday, april 9th, 2024. Announcer from nbc news, this is today with Savannah Guthrie and hoda kotb. From studio 1a in rockefeller plaza. Well, good morning. So good to see you. Were so happy youre joining us on this Tuesday Morning. Can you imagine waking up and being over there at uconn. Come on. Two in a row, 7560 over purdue. Much like the moon, blocking the sun, total eclipse. I had to do a segue, right . Coach hurley will join us in a bit. Hes fun. We will start with what everybody is still talking about, that amazing Solar Eclipse. Look, it was awesome. This is how it played out. Oh my gosh, two in a row, okay. Heres nasa. We sped this up a little bit. This video was captured in mexico. Millions of americans dropped everything they were doing, they grabbed their glasses yesterday afternoon, and they witnessed this phenomenon, total darkness across 15 states from texas to maine. All right. Weather was a concern. But for the most part, it held out. There were some severe storms later in the day. Heavy rain and wind causing some travel delays for eclipse travelers. In fact, our friend mr. Roker got stuck in dallas overnight. Yeah, hell be in just a bit with the latest on a major Weather Threat thats facing millions of americans. But let us get started with nbc Senior Correspondent tom costello. Hes in indianapolis. Tom, you had an amazing view at that event last night. Reporter oh, my gosh. We had phenomenal weather. We had blue skies, 75 degrees, could not have been better. Hundreds of millions of people nationwide enjoyed this. In fact, around the world they tuned in on television to watch this. Friends of mine overseas said they were moved by it. We saw people crying, people praying, people left speechless, people getting married under the eclipse as all of us in this country kind of came together in this moment of a celestial alignment. Reporter its the moment that left millions of americans in total awe. Look at this whoa yeah is this exciting . Yes, this is so incredible its amazing reporter from texas to maine, a onceinalifetime experience, and a collective pause to take in one of natures greatest phenomena. You know, tom, you and i cover a lot of difficult things to report sometimes, but this is this is magical. It is. I think its a moment in which all of us feel connected to each other as members of the human family, but also to the galaxy. Reporter millions of americans gathering across the path of totality, stretching through 15 states. In cleveland, baseball fans at the guardians home opener were treated to an outofthisworld pregame show unlike any other. Our nbc team also watched from around the country. Three, two, one reporter even a partial eclipse stunned new yorkers. In new york city, everyone is doing the same thing collectively. Well, not looking at their phones. Theyre looking up. Reporter and totality inspiring wonder. Look, we can see venus reporter from texas. What was it like to see that, babe . Emotional. Brought tears to my eyes. Reporter to 20,000 feet up in the air over arkansas. Now it is like this sunrise, but the sunrise is a color i have never seen before. It is like a deep purple. Reporter and check out this spectacular view from an orbiting satellite. For nasa, an incredible learning opportunity. One of the things we were looking at today was the corona. The moon blocked out the sun so we could see that part of the suns atmosphere and looking a lot at how the eclipse affected earth. We had a Citizens Science prompt how the eclipse changed temperatures and clouds. Reporter and emotional and magical experience. There is venus. Theres jupiter. Theres mars. Reporter for people to pause and look up at the sky. A onceinalifetime thing, you know. Reporter you know what else is nice . Anything this moment toget we are so divided in this country. There was no political talk yesterday. No essential social wars. There was all of this take anything this moment together and living our humanity. It was phenomenal. By the way, were not going to have another total eclipse in this country until 2044. Its coming back in indianapolis in 2153. I booked my hotel room. I know youll be wanting me here in 2053. Back to you. Yeah. You told us what your ticket cost to get out there that early. Tom, was it really dark . In new york it dimmed. Did it feel as dark as night where you were . Reporter maybe just a hint of twilight. But, yeah, it was dark. The temperature dropped dramatically. We had a bit of a breeze coming through and people were so collectively altogether. It was just a great moment. We loved it. We had a little moment ourselves. Well have more on that in a little bit. Thank you, tom. We turn to the president ial race. The showdown over rights front and center. Donald trump outlining a new position, saying abortion laws should be left to the individual states, but declining to endorse a national ban. Well, that stance has stoked controversy on the right with conservatives and also the left. This morning President Biden is weighing in. Nbcs Garrett Haake covers the trump campaign. Garrett, good morning. Reporter hey, savannah, good morning. Donald trump teased this announcement for weeks, but promise of a handsoff approach on the legislative issue now has taking fire from the debate. The right says hes refusing to protect the unborn. The left says it fears he will change his mind again and pports states in enacting draconian abortion bans. Donald trump is under fire after unveiling his latest stance on abortion. Leave any restrictions to the states. Many states will be different. Many will have a Different Number of weeks or some will have more conservative than others, and thats what they will be. Reporter the former president also claiming credit for the 2022 Supreme Court decision backed by three trumpappointed justices that overturned roe v. Wade and returned the abortion issue to the states. Some of which have enacted near total bans on the procedure. President biden responding in this campaign radio. Video. Donald trump just endorsed every single state ban on reproductive care nationwide. This is just filled with some of the things. Reporter the president s campaign also releasing a new ad, highlighting the story of a texas woman denied medical care after a miscarriage, placing blame on the states strict abortion ban. Passed after roe was overturned. Mr. Trumps stance also criticized from the right, including by his former vp, mike pence, who slammed him on social media for not calling for a national ban. Writing, quote, president trumps retreat on the right to life is a slap in the face to the millions of prolife americans who voted for him in 2016 and 2020. For mr. Trump, the latest step in a long, public evolution on abortion. Im very pro choice. Im prolife. Do you believe in punishment for abortion, yes or no, as a principal. The answer is that there has to be some form of punishment. Both sides are going to come together. It could be state or it could be federal. I dont frankly care. Now, mr. Trump has long said hes personally in favor of allowing abortions in case of rape, incest and protecting the life of the mother. But his new policy doesnt allow for a way to enshrine those new issues. But opening it up to still more criticism on this issue. Savannah. We will continue to watch that. On the legal front, the president facing multiple developments in some of his cases. In new york city, a lets run through them. In new york city, a lastminute effort by trumps attorneys to delay the start of the trial by requesting a change of venue yesterday, failed. An Appeals Court yesterday dismissed publicity in new york city. Jury selection is set to begin there on monday. Overnight, the special counsel jack smith filed a brief to the Supreme Court opposing mr. Trumps claim of president ial immunity in the election interference case. This is basically the governments opening argument in a case that will be fully argued before the Supreme Court on april 25th. Savannah . Garrett haake in washington, thank you. It is sentencing day in the first parents convicted in a connection with their childs Mass School Shooting will learn they fate in a michigan courtroom today. Prosecutors asking the judge to enact harsh punishment. Their lack of remorse chilling. Maggie vespa is at the courthouse in pontiac. Hey, maggie. Good morning. Reporter hey, hoda. Good morning. Yeah, this historic pointing as you point out is already under way. James and Jennifer Crumbley inside that courtroom. This is a rare occurrence at the defense table side by side together. He walked in first. James did, wearing an orange jump suit. She followed minute or two afterward wearing a striped jump suit. At the table with their attorneys appearing together so victims and their families only have to read impact statements once the for both defendants. Prosecutors in this case asking for 10 to 15 years in prison. Thats the maximum allowed. And its also twice, roughly twice, what the state recommends in a case like this. They wrote in presentencing memos and a total and complete lack of remorse from both parents in this case. Pointing specifically to jennifers testimony during her own trial, saying that she wouldnt have done anything differently leading up to the 2021 oxford high School Shooting carried out by her then 15yearold son ethan. In james case they actually pointed specifically to and this was a big headline during his trial, jailhouse threats. We now know he made according to authorities against a prosecutor in this case, saying there, quote, will be retribution, believe me and calling himself a martyr. Of course, this has been a case the entire country has been watching. Both parents convicted separately trials on four counts each of involuntary manslaughter, one for each of the students their son killed. Theyre appearing together but will be sentenced separately. Each defense team asking for time served with jennifers attorney asking for a rare stipulation asking the judge to consider if there is to be more time incarcerated she may let jennifer serve it out in her attorneys guest house. Our legal experts telling us thats incredibly rare. In the meantime, we expect victimic pact statements from all family. All four are in that courtroom today. Hoda . Maggie vespa for us in pontiac. Thanks. 13 after the hour. We have craig joining us. Good morning. Good morning. Good morning to you as well. After a thrilling few weeks, the College Basketball season wrapped up overnight. And on the mens side, just like last year, with those uconn huskies on top, uconn beating purdue in the final to repeat as national champs. Were going to talk to head coach dan hurley in just a few moments. But first, nbcs sam brock has more on the big game. Sam, good morning to you. Reporter craig, good morning. Guy, good morning. This was basically goliath versus goliath. The two best teams in the tournament with the two largest players going head to head. Now purdue was playing in its first title game in more than 50 years, but they ran into a buzz saw in the uconn huskies who just imposed their will, guys, on the rest of the field, winning the first backtoback mens titles in almost 20 years. It was as sweet and close to a sure thing as you can get. It is a uconn coronation. The huskies make history, backtoback national champions. Reporter a storied basketball power, uconn, putting a bow on a dominant tournament run. All year we set out to make this a goal and go backtoback. Thats what we did tonight. Reporter the huskies vanquishing purdue 7560 with rimrocking slams. Clinching the programs sixth National Title all time, tieing special delivery to johnson reporter and crafty play, clinching the programs sixth National Title all time, tieing with North Carolina and now one more than duke and indiana. In the process, becoming the first mens squad to win consecutive trophies since the Florida Gators in 2007. What a special group of people and a special coaching staff, an Incredible Group of players. Reporter overnight in connecticut, students packing the pavilion for an oncampus watch party, and cheering their team to victory, and overcoming 37 points from the national ig player of the year, zach edey. Step through by edey reporter the huskies leaving no doubt. The victory coming as south carolinas womens team returning to their columbia campus champions. They did it in a way in which they lifted up each other. Reporter after defeating the hawkeyes. Though, iowa superstar Caitlin Clark still wracked up points and eyeballs. That game shattering records. The most watched sporting event outside of the olympics or football since 2019. You need three things in sports, household names, rivalries and games of consequence, and march madness had all of that. Reporter now the uconn men claiming their victory after a banner year for college hoops. Uconn has now won 12 straight tournament games by at least 13 points. That had never happened before as coach dan hurley and his superstitions arent done yet. Craig, back to you. Sam, thank you. Joining us now, the man that led the huskies to their second National Title in a row, coach dan hurley up early with us. Coach, good morning. Peace, coach. Peace or maybe the victory sign, maybe two for two however you slice it two in a row. Coach, you got it. We were just looking at this viral video of you a few years back in a moment of defeat. What does it feel like, backtoback championships . Yeah. Its you know, its a dream saying uconn is coming. You saw it. You manifested. What does it feel like, backtoback championships . Yeah. Its you know, its a dream come true for us. Weve had, you know, a historic season at uconn. You know, uconn is a tough place to have a historic season at because of all the incredible players and championship teams. But, you know, followed up last Years National championship to have an even better season to set alltime records at the school and so many different categories to win 37 games and to run through the ncaa tournament again. It is something that we work toward for years putting this organization together around talented and great team players. And everything that we have manifested, you know, from that, you know, its coming. And now, you know, its here. And, you know, were the best program in College Basketball. Congratulations on that. In addition to manifesting, i think some of your superstitions might be playing a part in that victory dance that you get to do. We were cracking up listening to all the Different Things that you do. Your undies, your dragon underwear, your m m situation. Will you run through these and tell us why you think they do the trick . Well, it feels to me almost like its like putting on armor. You know, but before the game. It kind of settles me down a little bit. It gives me some things to do because the entire team, they warm up out on the court with my entire staff except me. And im back in the locker room just by myself totally alone while everyone is out there about an hour before the game. So i just have a lot of time by myself. And, you know, i think having some things that, you know, just make me feel kind of comfortable and relaxed. Just i only use the dragon underwear on game night in these high stress situations, but i also am very good to the dragon underwear because im going to wear them to the white house. Im going to wear them at the parade next week in hartford. Im obviously going to wash them in between yeah, obviously, the dragon im obviously going to wash them in between. I will wash them in between. But i also reward them for a job well done. Yeah. Were all wearing dragon underwear for you right now just in solidarity. You, by the way, have sold apparently a lot of dragon underwear all over america, coach. You know, your dad was a storied coach. Your brother is a bigtime College Coach as well. I know your son andrew was on the court with you last night. It was his last game. What was that like for you, being able to spend that precious moment with your son last night . Yeah. First of all, basketball is a family business. To grow up in the hurley household, the playing background for myself at seton hall, and you know, coaching and being around the game and being in the locker room, its all second nature. And my son, andrew, its you miss so much of your kids you know, lives as a coach, as a College Coach, as a pro coach. So to have him on the team with me, you know, these last four years, you know, we made up for a lot of lost time and, you know, and then obviously the last two years to experience the absolute pinnacle of what you can do in this sport and to do it with, you know, with your son and hes 430 in games that hes played in at